the period of the
Conquest? How were they to procure _L'Astucieuse Pythonisse_, a comedy
in verse by one Dutrezor, produced at Bayeux, and just now exceedingly
rare? Under Louis XIV., Herambert Dupaty, or Dupastis Herambert,
composed a work which has never appeared, full of anecdotes about
Argentan: the question was how to recover these anecdotes. What have
become of the autograph memoirs of Madame Dubois de la Pierre, consulted
for the unpublished history of L'Aigle by Louis Daspres, curate of St.
Martin? So many problems, so many curious points, to clear up.

But a slight mark often puts one on the track of an invaluable
discovery.

Accordingly, they put on their blouses, in order not to put people on
their guard, and, in the guise of hawkers, they presented themselves at
houses, where they expressed a desire to buy up old papers. They
obtained heaps of them. These included school copybooks, invoices,
newspapers that were out of date--nothing of any value.

At last Bouvard and Pecuchet addressed themselves to Larsoneur.

He was absorbed in Celtic studies, and while summarily replying to their
questions put others to them.

Had they observed in their rounds any traces of dog-worship, such as are
seen at Montargis, or any special circumstances with regard to the fires
on St. John's night, marriages, popular sayings, etc.? He even begged of
them to collect for him some of those flint axes, then called _celtae_,
which the Druids used in their criminal holocausts.

They procured a dozen of them through Gorju, sent him the smallest of
them, and with the others enriched the museum. There they walked with
delight, swept the place themselves, and talked about it to all their
acquaintances.

One afternoon Madame Bordin and M. Marescot came to see it.

Bouvard welcomed them, and began the demonstration in the porch.

The beam was nothing less than the old gibbet of Falaise, according to
the joiner who had sold it, and who had got this information from his
grand-father.

The big chain in the corridor came from the subterranean cells of the
keep of Torteval. In the notary's opinion it resembled the boundary
chains in front of the entrance-courts of manor-houses. Bouvard was
convinced that it had been used in former times to bind the captives. He
opened the door of the first chamber.

"What are all these tiles for?" exclaimed Madame Bordin.

"To heat the stoves. But let us be a little regular, if you please. This
is